I think Ryo and Lan Di will fight, and then just as Lan Di will land the final blow ChiYou will be resurrected. Then Ryo and Lan Di will transform into heavenly bodies (Phoenix and Dragon) somehow and have no choice but to defeat ChiYou together. Then when it is defeated they will resume the fight from where they left off. Imagine if ChiYou was resurrected and S3 ended there. I would tear all my hair off!

Lol, I don't think they will actually transform, nor do I think Chiyou is a Godzilla type monster. When the poem says the stuff about the phoenix and dragon, it symbolizes the dragon robe on Lan Di, and Ryo as the protector(Phoenix) Ryo even has hair similer to wings of a Phoenix.

What would be cool, if Lan Di and Ryo fought, and their shadows was the silohette of a Dragon and Phoenix. but still remained in their natural form. Though I don't mind seeing a cut scene of a dragon and a phoenix fighting, for symobilism reasons only.

Oh, I too would tear my hair off if it ended with the Chiyou resurected.

In any case; I've just thankfully put aside any thoughts for SIII now, I could wait ten years for it to come, it doesn't make any difference to me, to be honest, people just need to move on from the vain hope. We still have SO, for those who like that sort of thing (I personally despise the thought of turning Shenmue into an MMORPG *shivers* ugh).

I'm only here, because of the community, that's it. And the odd conversation about Shenmue in their respective forums, about it though.

I think the old guy who is blacked out is just another high ranking member of the chi yu men. I think the four members are supposed to represent the legendary beasts, Dragon, Phoenix, Tiger and Tortoise. I think Lan Di is the Dragon, Niao Sun the Pheonix, Ziming the White Tiger and the blacked out guy is the Tortoise although we dont know who he is I remember seeing an old guy in one of the original Shenmue video's and I think the leader of the four is supposed to be a guy named Tentai.

There is a really good post around here somewhere by Kiyuu talking all about this, help if anyone knows where it is?

Further too what I said I was looking into some information I found about Chinese myths and legends surrounding the legendary beasts and what they could mean regarding the chi yu men.

As I have said looking at information that was provided by Kiyuu each of the Chi yu men leaders represents a legendary beast Dragon, Pheonix, White Tiger and Tortoise. I was reading that the Tortoise in chinese mythology is named the black tortoise or the black warrior of the north could this be why he is the only one who is completely blacked out? Does he have some sort of secret technique that makes him hard to see, does he perhaps use the shadows to conceal himself and help him fight, is that perhaps one of the reasons Ryo was taught the Predictive Explosion technique? This also supports the idea that he will be an old man probably with vast amount of martial arts knowledge and experience as the Tortoise I believe represents longevity in Chinese legend.

This does make me wander though are all of the Chi yu men aware of what Lan Di is doing trying to claim the mirrors or is he working on his own in secret using his influence as a Chi yu men leader to his own advantage. Are each of them working together or are they working against each other or are they all been manipulated by a higher force possibly something more powerful then them all. So many questions I need answers Yu.

Good questions, Darth Akron. I can only give a solid answer to one, though.

Darth Akron wrote:or are they all been manipulated by a higher force possibly something more powerful then them all.

Indeed, they are. The four leaders of the Chiyoumen play the role of lieutenants to an all-ruling fifth member known simply as Tentei. We know nothing about this leader except his or her name (though it's more of a title), and although it's unconfirmed officially, many of us believe Lan Di was ordered to retrieve the mirrors by Tentei. This is something that isn't commonly known outside of hardcore communities like this, as it is never mentioned in the games.

"There is no man so good that if he placed all his actions and thoughts under the scrutiny of the laws, he would not deserve hanging ten times in his life." - Michel de Montaigne, Book III of Essais

"The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest." - John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

I've always thought that there would be a fight against Lan Di in the third game. But with much more to come in games after that besides Lan Di. I always saw him as part of something bigger. Besides that, Yu has stated that there would be some kind of acceptable ending around chapter 9-10. I guess that acceptable ending would be the fight against Lan Di with maybe some more things after it to introduce the bigger picture.

It's also why I would rather see them release the third one as they planned originally and not as the final one. If they cram the whole story in it, that's it. Plus that the experience would most likely be ruined if things are skipped or shortened a lot. But by having an acceptable ending they could satisfy the fans and watch if more games would make sense. A fight against Lan Di and a bit less of a cliffhanger, maybe some kind of open ending would be ok for me in the third.

I think Lan Di will be the ultimate boss. Ryo and Lan Di will punch on ryo kicks the crap out of lan di and has the chance of killing him but instead he decides to let him livem then when ryo turns his back lan di trys to pull a cheat shot from behind when ryu pulls off an ultimate move that he picked up during the game earlier by some wise Master of all Martial arts and kills him instantly.